My Pfaff Creative 2 stitched the top stitching. The finer line was sewn with the Bernina when I put the zipper in.

One of my goals is to not buy new fabric for projects until a large portion of my stash is used up. All fabric, zippers and thread for these two beds came out of my magic closet. This was a quick and fun project.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Unfortunately, the fabric was starting to tear along the side of the seat on some of them. Last summer my neighbour sat down and the seat tore open dropping his butt in the middle of the chair. Thank goodness he wasn't hurt.

The frame is fine, so I decided to replace the fabric to fix the chair.

Using the butter knife, I popped the plastic caps off the top and bottom of the seat frame. The fabric is held into the frame with plastic welting cord. From the top, I pushed the cord out the bottom side with the needle nose pliers.

Next I pulled the welting cord out the bottom side with the regular pliers. Once the cord was removed the fabric easily slipped out of the frame.

This outdoor fabric is 100% polyester. The regular price was $24 per metre. I bought two metres on sale for only $9.80 per metre, it is 154 cm wide.

The old fabric was used for a pattern.

After about eight straight seams, it was ready to install.

The first side went in the frame without difficulty, by putting the fold in the frame then threading the welting cord through the casing. The second side was much more difficult, because of the tension on the fabric I couldn't hold the fold in the frame and thread the welting cord at the same time. I needed more hands.

This is my dear friend and next door neighbour Debbie. Together with her holding the fold in place we got the second side in. The welting cord is brittle it broke about four times, we just kept feeding the broken pieces into the frame until the entire chair was on the frame. Then we snapped the plastic end pieces back into the top and bottom of the seat frame.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

On April 21st, it was raining, I was sitting on the futon in my long
Hawaiian dress contemplating cocktail hour. I looked out the patio doors
to the ocean and thought I saw a sea turtle really close to the shore.
I hiked up the skirt in one hand, camera in the other and rushed to the
sea!

These photos were taken with my Canon PowerShot D20 waterproof camera. I used the 20X optical zoom.

The seal was not afraid of me, but I kept my distance as I was afraid of it.

It was hanging around the rocky sea wall about twenty yards from our beach house, where lots of sand crabs live.

I was so thrilled this seal stuck around for photos before swimming away.

The very next morning a seal was resting on the beach where I took my morning walks. I got these amazing photos again using the 20x optical zoom.

The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the rarest marine mammals in the
world. Part of the "true seal" family (Phocidae), they are one of only
two remaining monk seal species. The other is the Mediterranean monk seal. A third monk seal species--the Caribbean monk seal--is extinct.

Isolated from their closest relative 15 million years ago, Hawaiian monk
seals are considered a "living fossil" because of their distinct
evolutionary lineage.

Monk seals are named for the folds of skin on their head that look like a
monk's hood and because they spend most of their time alone or in small
groups.

The ancient Hawaiian name is "llio holo I ka uaua" meaning "dog that runs in rough water."

These photos were taken during low tide.

Then I went back to our beach house, ate breakfast and returned about an hour later.

As the tide was coming in the seal swam back into the ocean.

Holy smokes, two encounters with an endangered species in two days! Memories I will cherish, the rest of my life.

According to Wikipedia: "The Hawaiian monk seal is critically endangered,[21] although its cousin species the Mediterranean monk seal (M. monachus) is even rarer, and the Caribbean monk seal (M. tropicalis), last sighted in the 1950s, was officially declared extinct in June 2008.[22]
The population of Hawaiian monk seals is in decline. In 2010, it was
estimated that only 1100 individuals remained. The larger population
that inhabits the northwest islands is declining.[23][24]
Seals nearly disappeared from the main Hawaiian Islands, but the
population has begun to recover. The growing population there was
approximately 150 as of 2004.[20] Individuals have been sighted in surf breaks and on beaches in Kauaʻi, Niʻihau and Maui. In early June 2010, two seals hauled out on Oʻahu's popular Waikiki beach. Seals have hauled out at O'ahu's Turtle Bay,[25] and again beached at Waikiki on March 4, 2011, by the Moana Hotel.
Yet another adult came ashore for a rest next to the breakwater in
Kapiolani Park Waikiki on the morning of 11 December 2012, after first
being spotted traveling west along the reef break from the Aquarium side
of the Park. In 2006, twelve pups were born in the main Hawaiian
Islands, rising to thirteen in 2007, and eighteen in 2008. As of 2008 43
pups had been counted in the main Hawaiian islands.[26]
The Hawaiian monk seal was officially designated as an endangered species on November 23, 1976, and is now protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
It is illegal to kill, capture or harass a Hawaiian monk seal. Even
with these protections, human activity along Hawaii's fragile coastlines
(and in the world at large) still provides many stressors.[27]"

Dear Readers, have you ever seen a Hawaii monk seal? Have you ever seen a seal in real life?

Veto

Véronique & Scott

Liam - Favourite Grandson

Lily

Lily on a mission..

My Sewing Machines!

I wish my vintage machines could tell their stories of where they have been, what they sewed and how they were loved.

American Home

Introducing Pinky! - Japanese 15 Clone

1910 Bernard Stoewer Treadle

Made in Germany

1940 Singer 15-91 (Pearl)

This machine has a geared driven motor. Sold to Linda in Glenboro April 2015

1960s Imperial - Ruthie

Made in Japan. Ruthie was gifted to an immigrant family in August 2010.

Bernina Nova 900 (Novalee)

Manufactured in Switzerland between 1982-1985. Sold to Marge in Steinbach, Manitoba in February 2012.

1983 Bernina 930 Record

Manufactured in Switzerland

Elna Air Electronic TSP

Manufactured in Switzerland in 1976. This machine was gifted to my niece in September 2010.

1954 Elna Supermatic

Manufactured in Switzerland. This machine was sold to Jeanne In Winnipeg December 2011.

1970s Elna Supermatic (Ella)

Manufactured in Switzerland. Sold to Kristen in Winnipeg in December 2011.

Elna SU 62C

Manufactured in Switzerland. Purchased in July 2013 and sold in August 2013.

1996 Husqvarna 500 (Heidi)

Made in Sweden. I bought it new in 1997 and to this day it is still my favourite machine. Heidi complete with the cabinet she sits on was gifted to Shannon in July 2011.

Husqvarna 530 Lily

Manufactured in Sweden 1997 traded for the 555 in March 2012

Husqvarna Lily 555

Manufactured in Sweden sold to Rosalie in Stonewall May 2015

1979 Husqvarna 6570 (Ruby)

Manufactured in Sweden. Ruby was sold to Sandra in Winnipeg March 2012.

1961 Necchi Lelia 513

Made in Italy - sold to Maria in Winnipeg January 2013

1954 Necchi Mira BU

Manufactured in Italy. Mira was sold to Cindy in Florida in January 2012.

Pfaff 7510 (Phyllis)

Isn't she pretty? Phyllis was sold in June 2011.

Ms. Remington

I'm just tickled pink with her!

Singer Genie 354

Manufactured in France in 1974. Traded in to upgrade embroidery machine in September 2013.

Singer featherweight - Tinkerbell!

A tiny black beauty. Traded in to upgrade embroidery machine in September 2013.

1956 Domestic Automatic (Wilma)

Manufactured in Japan. This machine has a dozen cams to make fancy zig-zag stitches. Wilma was given to my son Jason in August 2013, she lives in Calgary now.

Domestic badge

Fancy sewing machine cabinet

In 1988, I bought this cabinet without a machine for $35. My husband took it apart. It took me four months of evenings and weekends to strip and refinish it. Doug put a shelf in to fit a modern free-arm machine. Since 1997 this cabinet is home to Shannon's Husqvarna 500.

Elna Stella (Stella)

My Wee Sewing Machine made in Switzerland. Stella weighs about 12 pounds. This machine was sold on ebay to a lady in Hawaii.